How to pronounce headway
Say it like HED-way. Headway has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HED).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce headway. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HED
- way
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Headway pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HEDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- wayGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of headway
American and British speakers say headway in essentially the same way: /ˈhɛˌdweɪ/ in the US and /ˈhɛˌdweɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: HED-way.
What does headway mean?
- A movement ahead or forward.
- Forward motion, or its rate.
- The interval of time or distance between the fronts of two vehicles (e.g. buses) moving in succession in the same direction, especially along the same predetermined route.
Where does headway come from?
Partly from Middle English hauedwei, from Old English hēafodweġ (“head-road, main-road”); partly as a shortening of ahead-way, the source of the nautical sense.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying headway
How do you pronounce headway?
Say HED-way. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɛˌdweɪ/. In British English it is /ˈhɛˌdweɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in headway?
Headway has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HED). Broken into parts: HED · way.
Do Americans and Brits say headway the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈhɛˌdweɪ/ and the British form is /ˈhɛˌdweɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.